A blog dedicated to the discussion of topics relating to the history of Sandusky and Erie County, Ohio, the Lake Erie Islands, and nearby communities; inspired by the collections of the Sandusky Library Archives Research Center and Follett House Museum. A service of the Sandusky Library.

Saturday, March 07, 2009

Mrs. G. Hunter Brown

Mrs. G. Hunter Brown, nee Cornelia Moss, was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Jay O. Moss. Mrs. Moss is known for her success in securing the sum of $50,000 from Andrew Carnegie for the purpose of the building of a public library building in Sandusky in 1900.

The family of Mr. and Mrs. Jay O. Moss lived for many years at 414 Wayne Street in Sandusky. The home was built in 1872, when Cornelia and her brother Augustus (known as “Gus”) were small children. A photograph of the J. O. Moss house is found on page 10 of Helen Hansen’s book AT HOME IN EARLY SANDUSKY.

In 1890, Cornelia Moss was married to George Hunter Brown. In 1900, the Brown family was living in Fishkill County New York, with infant Ursula. Mr. Brown’s occupation was listed in the U.S. Census as Vice President of a railroad. The family had a total of four servants living with them. By 1920 Mr. and Mrs. G. Hunter Brown were living in Manhattan, where at that time Mr. Brown was a wholesaler of sugar.

On December 31, 1909 the New York Times carried an article in the Society section of the paper when Mrs. George Hunter Brown gave a large dance at Sherry’s in honor of her daughter Miss Ursula Brown. Over 400 guests were received at the dance. The article gives details about the dresses of Mrs. Brown and her daughter. Mrs. Brown wore a gown of delft blue satin, while Ursula wore a white moiré dress with blue chiffon and glad and silver lace. Three orchestras played at the dance, which occupied two ballrooms at Sherry’s.

Though Mr. and Mrs. G. Hunter Brown lived most of their adult life in New York, they are both buried in the family plot of Oakland Cemetery, near the graves of Mr. and Mrs. J. O. Moss. Mrs. Brown died at the age of 84 in March, 1950. Mr. Brown died on January 1, 1963, in his 96th year.

The photograph of Mrs. G. Hunter Brown was scanned from a glass plate negative. Three boxes glass plates were generously donated to the Archives Research Center of the Sandusky Library.

1 comment:

Thanks for the compliment on our Dewey Library Blog, and for pointing us to yours as well. I am impressed with the time, attention and research that goes into your entries. Thanks again for the kind words.